In writing this b w k the authors have made an attempt to gather together the information concerning the chemical natures of the physiological substances which we know as hormones. We are told in the preface that their purpose has been " . to book of use to the laboratory put together a practical bookworker who wishes t o prepare active hormone fractions or to isolate a chemically pure hormone; and of use to the student who wants a connected account dealing with the chemical characteristics of the hormones, in so far as they are known a t present." In the opinion of the reviewer, the authors have succeeded remarkably well in their purpose, especially so when we bear in mind the rather unsettled state of much of the published work from which the subject matter of the book had to be selected. The procedures given for the extraction and purification of various hormone preparations are well selected, and present the best knowledge we have a t the present time. The criticism might be made that no critical comments are made as to the relative advantages or disadvantages of the various procedures. The authors present the work of a number of investigators in each field, leaving it to the reader or to the worker to select that which seems best suited to hi needs. The book is not comprehensive, the authors stating, "We are only too well aware that matters of importance may have been omitted and that possibly some imvelant matter may have been included. But that is the penalty which has to be paid when dealing with a subject in a state of flux." On the whole, however, the reviewer feels that each topic has been well covered. Chapter I deals with the thyroid hormone, in which the work of Kendall and Harington is given most attention, although the work of many others is also included. The isolation, characterization, and synthesis of thyroxin is given in some detail. Chapter I1 deals with the parathyroid hormone in which Collip's work is given most consideration, but not to the exclusion of others who have contributed to this problem. What is known chemically of insulin is well reviewed in Chapter 111, numerous methods for its extraction and purification being presented. Chapters on the pituitary hormones, the adrenal hormones, the male hormones. and the female hamones follow. The last two chapters deal with senetin and the plant hormones. Each chapter in the book carries quite an extended bibliography. The book is written in a clear, concise style which leaves no doubt as to what the writers wish to convey. It is remarkably free from mistakes, but a few typographical errors will be found. One important omission might he pointed out, and also, in the opinion of the reviewer, an error in arrangement. In the chapter on the female hormones, the second paragraph describes the vaginal smear method of following the wstrus cycle of an animal. However. it is not pointed out that this method was worked out primarily for the cycles of guinea pigs, rats, and mice. and caunot be applied to every laboratory animal. Also this chapter includes Collip's preparation from placentg of an anterior lobel i e hormone. It seems that this could better have been included in the chapter on pituitary hormones since it is a gonadotropic factor and not an ovarian substance. The book will be found useful as a semilaboratory manual for hormone preparations as well as a source of information concerning our present knowledge of hormone chemistry. H m L. FEVOLD
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UNIYBRSITY OF WISEONUII MADISON. WIS.
INTnODUCTrON TO PHVSIOLOGICAL &EXISTRY. Meyer Bodonsky. Ph.D., Director of Laboratories, John Sealy Hospital, Galveston, and Professor of Pathological Chemistry, University of Texas. Third edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York 662 pp. 39 Figs. 62 tables. 14.5 X 23 City, 1934. xi cm. 54.00. The aim of this third edition "has remained essentially the same," namely to he a useful textbook. The present edition is distinctly more than that; it has become a reference hook of recent advances in physiological chemistry. With considerable facility. the author has extended some of the previous sections
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and entirely rewritten others, to include the large additions made to this field of science since the appearance of the second edition. Although no new chapters have been added, the extent of the increase in size is more than one hundred pages. The book will inevitably be much used if for no other reason than that the bibliography is conveniently given in footnotes. The expansion of the chapter on nutrition together with the emphasis an the clinical implications of variations in composition of tissues and body fluids have enlarged somewhat the scope of the book. However, the material is well organized and the sense of coherence is well preserved. The discussion on the gas laws, solutions, and hydrogen ions is in better form than in the previous editions. The chapter on gastric digestion in its present form is an excellent summary of current concepts. The tables describing the compmition of foods are incomplete, always with reference to ash constituents and a t times in other respects. The chapter on blood and the chemistry of respiration has been improved, but throughout, unfortunately, the name of Hasselbalch is misspelled. It would make for clarity if all the tables had titles. In view of the mass of more or less confused material currently available, the section on hormones seems to have been carefully considered and clearly presented. The discussion of the chemistry of carbohydrates, of the metabolism of the sugars, and of their part in the chemistry of contraction of muscle has been thoroughly reviewed and is presented in an understandable manner. This book in its present form is of great usefulness to the teacher and investigator. Does it serve as well as a text for the beginning student? The effort to consider the most recent cantrihutions necessarily involves a type of discussion designed to maintain the open mind in the reader; this ordinarily results in confusion to the student to whom the subject is new. I t seems, therefore, that this tent now definitely needs the guiding hand of the g d teacher to he of the greatest usefulness. This circumstance is an inevitable result of the effort to render the treatment of material both comprehensive and timely. I n no wise does it minimize the general high level of excellence maintained by the author in this third edition.
hmun H. SMITH YAGPUN~VBBSITP NBW HAYEN. CONNBCTZC~
MERCKMANUAL O a THERAPEmIcs
AND
MATERIAMEDICA
George W. Merck, President of Merck & Co. Inc., announces the publication of the sixth edition of the Merck Manual of Therapeutics and Materia Medica. Over two thousand prescriptions with official constituents and metric eouivalents are oresented. alonn - with a descriotion of four hundred seventy-five remedies, including solubility, action, uses, average dose, preparations, contra indication. incompatibilities. Some of the new chapters among the two hundred fifty-seven contained in the section on therapy are: Acidosis, Alkalosis, Backache, Botulism, Caisson Disease, Celiac Disease, Coronary Occlusion, Dyspnea, Encephalitis Lethargica. Food Poisoning, Freezine. -. Hav Fever. Infantile Convulsions. Mvasthenia Gravis. Paroxysmal ~ a c h y c k d i a Polycythemia , ~ u b r ; Tularemia, and Urolithiasis. The Dose Table comprises official remedies, new and nanofficial remedies, rarer medicaments, and newer remedies. There are included remedies in general use as well as same in disuse, preserving a traditional feature of value in the Merck Manual; namely, that there may he found in it desired iuformation on dosage no longer generally available. The sixth edition of the Merck Manual is printed on fine paper and bound in dark blue fabrikoid covers with gold stamping. I t is available only to memhers of the medical profession, pharmacists, chemists, and those in allied professions, a t the nominal price of two dollnrs per copy, representing the actual cost of printing and distribution.
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